


Fleeting

by tenmillionotters



Category: Bloodborne (Video Game)
Genre: Established Relationship, F/F, Family Fluff, First Kiss, Fluff and Angst, Found Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-14
Updated: 2018-11-14
Packaged: 2019-08-23 13:44:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,841
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16620137
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tenmillionotters/pseuds/tenmillionotters
Summary: Where she thought that she would be happy to see the other again, she felt a deep pain and disappointment she hadn’t known before. Of course it wasn’t something that she could blame Eileen for, it was more of a feeling rooted in selfish needs. The need of always being with the other.





	Fleeting

**Author's Note:**

> Alice belongs to @ vamprouge on Twitter. Solaire and Steph are my characters. 
> 
> This fanfiction is a ko-fi donation reward, thank you very much Emil, it is always a pleasure to write for you (*´꒳`*)

3 days. 3 days had passed by since she had realised something was wrong. Something was missing. 

Alice woke up from a painful, dreamless slumber. Someone was holding her, but it didn’t feel right, it didn’t feel wrong either but… it wasn’t what she wanted right now. She longed for something else, someone else. 

“Hey… how do you feel…?

The voice was soft, it was gentle. She slowly fought her way out of the hug and pulled her hands close to her body. No matter how warm her embrace and words were, it wasn’t right. 

“Alice…?” 

_Leave me alone._

“Okay… I’m sorry.” 

They sat in silence, Alice began to swallow hard. It wasn’t like her to react like this, but she was on the edge of … of… sanity? Patience? She knew that everything Steph did for her, she did in an act of selfless love but feeling loved only made her feel emptier. 

_Mama._

“Yes…? What is it?”, a warm smile formed on her lips, but once she opened her eyes again, Alice noticed something strange about them. When she smiled it was genuine, she understood that Alice wasn’t acting out of malice but… 

She slowly reached out and touched the older woman’s face, she didn’t flinch at the gesture but she seemed to be confused nonetheless.

There was an overwhelming sadness in her eyes, something that was too old and too deep to be created in a single lifetime. It felt like a black ocean, something she was afraid of, the longer she would look into it, the more she felt the danger of drowning grow. 

The next thing that Alice knew was how she was pulled into a tight embrace, “It’s nothing you should subject yourself to…” 

To what? What was it that she saw for a split second, Alice felt tears flood her eyes as if they were trying to wash out the pain and agony they had seen in the usually so warm and comforting gaze. 

Alice slowly felt the warmth she usually felt returning, she held the other woman tighter. Still, she couldn’t shake off this strange feeling, she couldn’t shake off the questions and the confusion. 

… what was the first drop that had started this…? How much rain did it take to fill the void until it began to overflow, until it became an ocean? And … most importantly, did this ocean form in her eyes too…? 

“Il mio sole!” 

She felt Steph’s grip on her loosen once they heard the familiar voice, Alice looked up, maybe it was because of the sun that reflected inside of her mother’s eyes, but the deep, pitch black ocean had vanished. A fire was burning in her eyes now, not the greedy, all consuming kind, it was an everlasting flame, a flame that offered protecting from all the evils… from the darkness that lingered deep inside all of them. 

“Solaire…”, her voice was soft, warm, “Did you…?”

“I have good news for you, Alice,” he gently patted her head, as if he was talking to a small animal, “I found Eileen, she’s seeing a doctor right now, she said she’ll meet you as soon as she can.” Maybe he shouldn’t have mentioned the part about Eileen needing a doctor, but he didn’t want to lie to her. 

“W-What happened to her…?”, Alice didn’t like using her mouth to speak, it was merely a whisper, but her hands were busy clinging to Steph’s coat. 

“... she… underestimated her enemy a bit, but she’s fine. It’s nothing severe, but I thought it’s safer to see a doctor than solely relying on blood,” he felt Alice hand grab his and he gently squeezed it, “She’ll be fine, trust me.” 

“... can you stay with me… till she’s back?”, speaking hurt her throat but her hands were too busy clinging to the little stability that was left in this moment. 

“Of course we do.” 

Alice felt how they wrapped their arms around her, it was warm, a warmth that was enough. More than enough… she felt rain dripping down her lashes but she didn’t mind. 

Hours would pass until she finally woke up from a deep slumber, her adoptive father was still holding her in a tight embrace but something was missing… Alice slowly wriggled her way out of his embrace, trying not to wake him up. 

She heard voices, muffled sounds of two people talking to each other. Her mind was still too hazy and sleepdrunk to process what was happening around her, it felt like the world was turning slower, as if it was still in a state of detachment and confusion. 

The young woman blindly stumbled towards the source of the noise, she bumped into someone… someone with a familiar smell. Her arms slowly wrapped around Steph’s silhouette and clung to her, like she did before, seeking a sense of stability. 

“Alice…” 

She felt an electric shock run through her body, no matter how sleepy she had felt before, every feeling of drowsiness was gone now. Instead she felt a stone cold soberness, she was fully awake, her eyes fixed on the person that had hesitantly addressed her. 

Eileen was unsure about what she should do, she didn’t approach Alice, instead she lifted her hands in an apologetic manner. The younger woman felt the gentle touch of her adoptive mother’s hand on her back, it felt as if she was reassuring her that everything was okay… but nothing was okay. 

Where she thought that she would be happy to see the other again, she felt a deep pain and disappointment she hadn’t known before. Of course it wasn’t something that she could blame Eileen for, it was more of a feeling rooted in selfish needs. The need of always being with the other. 

“Alice… do you want to stay with Eileen, or do you want to stay with us?” 

Having a clearer head now, the younger woman looked up at her mother, then her gaze wandered back to her father. Despite her best efforts he had woken up, his hands folded before his mouth, it felt like a dark cloud was looming over his expression. Was he worried? 

Maybe they picked up on Alice negative emotions… suddenly she felt bad, she held Steph tighter for a second before letting go. 

_It’s okay. You can leave, thank you for staying with me._

She felt how Steph let her fingers brush through her hair, muttering praises of her daughter in her native tongue, before she gently kissed her forehead, “If you need anything, you know where to find us, okay?” 

_Yes I do, thank you._

Alice watched them leave, arm in arm, they were always together, or so it felt, and this was something she longed for too… but right now she still felt this pain that was yet unknown to her. 

“I’m sorry…”, her voice was heavy, broken, “I am sorry for making you worry. Solaire told me everything, I just thought I would be back before you’d noticed.” 

The words that were meant as a reconstituting only drove the blade that had scraped her skin deeper into her chest. 

_What do you mean you thought I wouldn’t notice? Did you think I pay this little attention Eileen?_

Overcome by the whirlwind of her own emotions, Alice began to cry, she clenched her fists and cursed her own longings, “I love you… how… how could I …” 

Her vision was blurred by the tears, the silence she loved disrupted by the sound of her own voice, her sobbing, but she didn’t care right now. Maybe she acted like a spoiled child but this wasn’t fair… 

Alice froze when she felt a pair of lips touch her cheeks, gently kissing away the tears. 

“I’m so sorry… I shouldn’t have done that,” Eileen’s hands gently cupped her face, she felt Alice staring at her, it was the first time she had ever seen her without her mask. 

Her hands were shaking as she slowly lifted up to touch the other’s face, only a few lines around her eyes gave away the progression of time she had witnessed herself, her eyes were deep, yet gentle. 

Alice didn’t like speaking like everyone else did, but at the same time she again found herself in a situation in which she couldn’t use her hand as freely as she’d like to. 

“Please… believe in me more… I just want to be with you.” 

“I know… I know, Alice,” Eileen felt a heavy weight pull her down, she felt the same way, but she knew that her work might one day force her to - 

All her worries melted away when their eyes met, there were no signs nor traces of beasthood, instead all she saw was a deep, burning affection. Something she hasn’t seen before, something she hadn’t noticed before until now… now that she saw it oh so clearly. But there was something else too. 

“... would you…”, Eileen could hardly remember the last time someone looked at her like this, it must have been years ago, but even then, it didn’t feel like this at all. All of the sudden she felt like a child again, she was getting nervous and flustered. A warm smile graced her lips as she tried to muster the courage to ask Alice. 

She had no idea what kind of expression she was showing to her partner, but she knew what she was thinking. All this time, their physical contact was restricted to feeling their bodies touching while covered by leather and cloth. But she wanted to know the feeling of them touching, skin on skin, like she did with others. 

“Can I… kiss you?” 

Even though it was exactly what she wanted, Alice felt herself jump at the question when it was finally uttered by the other. She began nodding, she had already lost her voice. 

“Okay…”, she smiled, feeling the other’s hands rest on her shoulders as she leaned down, it had been years since she had last kissed someone. This was their first kiss… and… 

Alice eyes were shut tightly, she felt a fire spread from the pits of her stomach through her whole body. Where she thought she had loved Eileen before, the feeling now increased by tenfold. Her arms wrapped around the other’s waist as she deepened the kiss. 

Neither of them wanted to let go. All of the desperation, the pain, the feeling of longing, the desire to be reunited bled into the kiss… and it was answered with love. 

Words weren’t enough if there weren’t actions to support them, it was an echo from a past not too long ago, but now Alice understood the true meaning of these words. 

Eileen’s eyes were glistening as she slowly backed away, gazing at her girlfriend, “I promise that I’ll stay with you from now on… always.” 

The happiness that began to spread through Alice entire being was hardly something that words could describe, so again, she nodded before she kissed her dear hunter with a smile still gracing her lips.


End file.
